CLOSE TO 1,000 SWEATERS COLLECTED FOR U.S. VETERANS BY LOCAL FUNERAL HOMES’ COMMUNITY PROJECT

Posted by Laura Soll, Community Contributor

(left) Kenneth Pescatello, a funeral director with Duksa Family Funeral Homes; and Joseph Canzanella, Chief of Volunteer Services of the West Haven and Newington campuses of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

(left) Kenneth Pescatello, a funeral director with Duksa Family Funeral Homes; and Joseph Canzanella, Chief of Volunteer Services of the West Haven and Newington campuses of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. (Posted by Laura Soll, Community Contributor)

Nearly 1,000 sweaters were collected for U.S. veterans in an "Operation Sweaters for Veterans" community drive that was spearheaded for the second year in a row by Duksa Family Funeral Homes. A total of 988 sweaters, as well as gloves and mittens and cash funds, were donated by the general public and community organizations during a month-long effort, with people bringing their items into Newington Memorial Funeral Home and Fisette-Batzner Funeral Home at 20 Bonair Ave. in Newington; and to Burritt Hill Funeral Home, at 332 Burritt St. in New Britain.

All of the winter outerwear and money collected were presented in December to the Newington location of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System which is distributing them to veterans across the state.

"We are grateful that many local community groups joined our second-year effort by encouraging their members and supporters to help us," explains Diana Duksa Kurz, CFSP, a funeral director whose family owns the funeral homes. "Student clubs at both Newington High School and Wethersfield High School held collection drives, as did Our Lady of Mercy Church in Plainville, St Lucian's Residence in New Britain, Sacred Heart Church in New Britain, and the Suburban Women's Club of New Britain. St. Anne's Church in New Britain held its annual "Breakfast for Veterans" breakfast and then generously donated the proceeds of $475 to our Sweaters for Veterans effort for the second year in a row."

"Especially heartwarming were the personal gestures of many of the donors - all to honor U.S. veterans," adds Kurz. "For example, inside the folds of the sweaters donated by Our Lady of Mercy Church, the parishioners added caring notes of appreciation to the veterans. And, members of the Plainville Senior Center included dozens of hand-crafted thank you cards, along with their donated items."

Newington Memorial Funeral Home, Fisette-Batzner Funeral Home and Burritt Hill Funeral Home joined hundreds of funeral homes nationwide to sponsor their "Operation Sweaters for Veterans" efforts, as part of the "Veterans & Family Memorial Care Provider" network. For more information about the Duksa Family Funeral Homes and its services and programs, call 860-666-0600 or visit www.duksa.net.